Sea Soup: Zooplankton

Sea Soup: Zooplankton features images by Yarmouth photographer Bill Curtsinger. The book was published by Tilbury House, Publishers, in conjunction with the Gulf of Maine Aquarium. Written for grades 3-7, Sea Soup: Zooplankton’s photographs and text explore the sea and the wide variety of drifting marine life. This book complements its companion title published previously,

Continue reading...


For island schools, funds are in short supply

“It’s been terribly underfunded forever, basically,” said George Joseph, part-time superintendent for Vinalhaven’s school. “If Vinalhaven goes to a basketball game, it’s not just driving to Waldoboro. It’s a night out with motel rooms, meals and so forth.” Because of island schools’ distance from mainland goods and services, everything costs more. The per pupil cost

Continue reading...


Islanders publish their own phone book

The new directory was the brainchild of Peg Astarita, a resident of Peaks Island. “Everywhere I went,” says Astarita, “I heard islanders, especially the older folks I’d come into contact daily, saying that we needed an alternative to the big Portland book. What they wanted was something compact and easy to handle, but with a

Continue reading...


Yuletide Murder in Eastport

What’s Christmas in Eastport without a good murder? Well, for resident amateur detective Jacobia Tiptree, the holiday season is definitely not complete. And she goes about solving it masterfully in Sarah Graves’ latest mystery, Wreck the Halls. Not surprisingly, this one is beautifully constructed, with a host of suspects, all of them logical and all

Continue reading...


Refitted SUNBEAM offers telemedical services

For 100 years, islands in the Gulf of Maine and those who live on them have benefited from the Maine Sea Coast Missionary Society’s efforts. This 100-year-old organization’s newest venture — its vessel Sunbeam now offers telemedicine services to distant island communities — combines cutting-edge technology with old-fashioned neighborly concern. Islesboro resident Sharon Daley, the

Continue reading...